Back from a really interesting day in Niterói, we feel like closing the day on a high note and to that end, we decide to go back to the hill of Santa Teresa to watch the sunset over the city of Rio.

Tomorrow we will be leaving for Paraty, 250 km South of Rio.

Rio is a city of many spectacular viewpoints. It is also a city of great sunsets, because its exceptional setting lends itself so naturally to the special, ephemeral moment when the warm light of day passes the stage over to the mysterious shadows of the night.

We had gotten off the ferry from Niterói at the Praça 15 de Novembro. It is now getting late in the afternoon, and we speed up the pace crossing Central Rio in the direction of the Arcos Da Lapa which are really beautiful in the descending light. Hurry, hurry, we do not want to miss the sunset.

A rock concert is currently playing out live at Lapa. Funny, today is definitely a day of live music here in Rio.

We try and keep up our fast pace as we walk up to the Escadaria Selaron.

Santa Teresa is known to be a neighborhood of artists. The walls are covered with graffiti’s, and the place projects a kind of bohemian free spirit. We are headed for the Museu da Chacara do Ceu at the top of the hill and the walk up the paved streets is quite steep. Beautiful colonial houses, some of which have been remodeled while others have not, make for a charming atmosphere.

There is a narrow opening in between two buildings and we can catch a view of a colorful favela.

The color of the sky is slowly changing from blue to orange and red. A few sun rays shed a dimming light on the huts made of brick stones. Some have been covered with bright-color paint.

The scenery is fascinating to us. The favela is far away but we can spot some silhouettes coming and going. We feel like the ‘City of God’ of Paulo Lins is taking place here in the narrow alleys of the hill facing us.

We have not seen firsthand the Rio de Janeiro described by Paulo Lins, luckily, but we are aware that it exists. We caught a glimpse of it in the eyes of the beach vendors at Copacabana (see my post of April 20, 2015). We saw it around the Arcos Da Lapa where young women in rags were taking drugs. As we walked around the city, we encountered quite a few needy homeless people. Near the entrance of the Cardeal Arcoverde metro station, not far from our hotel, a bunch of junkies have established their settlement. Throughout the city, security guards, armed with rifles, are on permanent high alert in the metro, in hotel lobbies, by the front doors of banks, at the entrance gates of private residences and mansions. All this is a not-so-subtle reminder that violence is a part of everyday life in Rio de Janeiro, and that, even though steps are taken to contain it, this fact of life should not be forgotten.

The seasoned traveler or world news reader knows that in a good many countries on the planet there are serious problems to be addressed. That being said, there is no doubt that Brazil is among the most violent countries in the world. It is all the more a pity given the resources of this country, the beauty of its landscapes, the richness of its culture and heritage. It is a country of vast potential, yet entangled and tied up in endemic problems which it does not seem able to tackle effectively.

For the time being, we focus on the landscape in front of us and try to simply enjoy the moment. The favelas, the land of the merciless Brazilian gangs, make for a beautiful scenery in the dimming light as the sun is setting down. The Pao de Açucar and the bay of Guanabara will stay in our memories for a long time.

Tonight, at the top of the Santa Teresa hill, a talented jazz band is playing excellent jazz music, a group of skilled acrobats and friendly clowns are performing, and the crowd is enjoying the show wholeheartedly. The atmosphere is nice and warm and friendly.

The villa of the Museu da Chacara do Ceu has been very skillfully renovated, and I highly recommend the place. Please take my word for it; make time to stroll around the summit of Santa Teresa hill, you will not regret it.

It is really dark by now, and it is time for us to cap this fantastic day with a smooth ride back to our hotel for a calm, relaxed dinner at the rooftop with a magnificent view over Copacabana beach. Needless to say, we will not forget our usual, nightly check-up on our dear friend, the one and only Corcovado!